Cupid's Amor: For the Love or Money
by Allstarry707
Summary: Falling in love is hard enough. But when the guy you fall in love with could choose money over you, it makes it even harder. Enter Annabeth Chase and a certain green-eyed man on the show Cupid's Amor: For the Love or Money. Will she pick him in the end? And if she does, will he pick her or the chance at two-hundred fifty thousand dollars? Love sure isn't easy. Short story.
1. Loving Four

**Alternate Summary: "It's up to Annabeth to choose the one she loves, and the guy to choose Annabeth or the money..." I have no idea what's in store for the coming weeks on the show Cupid's Amor, but I can only hope that no heartbreak is lined up for me or any of the guys. But sadly, it seems likely as I glance at the faces of all four, and realize that while some may be starting to "fall" for me, I may be starting to develop feelings for a certain green eyed man. But no matter how strong those feelings are, I fear that he may pick the money over me. Now my one question is: _why_did Silena decide to send in my application?  
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**Short Story.  
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**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians  
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**Cupid's Amor: For the Love or Money**

**Chapter 1  
Loving Four  
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I tap my toe lightly against the wooden floor, being concealed by the curtains from the live audience that's waiting outside to meet me. Their roars of laughter bombard my ears, and their whispered words barely brush against my eardrums. As I press myself against the dark curtain, I wonder how I could have let anyone convince me to join this "game show" or well a show to find love. It wasn't as if I had never been in love before, however that relationship was ruined by my job as an architect. My mother had always told me that my job would never fail me however love might; so, I guess it was no surprise to me when I was dumped due to putting my job first, or to be more specific, I chose my job over him when he made me choose. Nevertheless, I don't think I ever truly loved Luke the way that he had loved me. Still, it didn't mean the pain didn't reverberate from my chest when he spoke the words, "I don't think I can do this anymore."

Letting out a sigh, I push the hollow memory aside knowing that it will do absolutely nothing to help my nerves. Even if it _was_ Silena who sent my name in as an application, it was I who decided to do the show when they said they had chosen me. Granted, it took some convincing from Silena, however I can't turn back now. "You're going on in thirty seconds," the stage director whispers, eliciting my stomach to tumble in nervousness. I barely nod my head, willing my hands not to shake like nimble leaves in the autumn wind. _You can do this, Annabeth._ I can do this; I have to do this.

"So, let's bring her out here," the host, Chris, announces, followed by a chorus of whistles and chants. My chest heaves up and down from the nervous breaths that escape quickly, much like how I have the urge to turn my back and run, "Annabeth Chase, ladies and gentleman!"

I push out one more deep breath until my lungs feel empty and take a step forward, then another, plastering a wide smile on my face. Another step, just one more will bring out onto that stage, meaning no turning back. I've put my job on hold for this, my life on hold, and I have never once accepted defeat before. I take that step and am welcomed by cheers, hoots, and hollers. That once fake smile morphs into one that is filled with meaning. _I can do this._ Lifting my hand in the air, I wave towards the crowd as my feet, enclosed in these dreaded heels, clack towards Chris. "Hi," I smile as I meet him, enclosing our hands in a firm handshake.

He nods, with a grin, "It's good to see you, Annabeth. Take a seat right here," he gestures toward an armed chair that looks like Heaven for my aching feet. Graciously, I drop into the seat as he takes the one on my right. "So, how have you been?"

I glance quickly towards the shadowed audience, swallowing away my nerves, "Ah, pretty good, I guess?" Now by that I mean I've been wallowing in a pit of nerves for the past two weeks.

"You guess?" He smiles, making me forget that there's an audience watching me unlike having a normal conversation. Only the faint laugh that rumbles from the audience reminds me that they are there, and this is not a normal conversation.

I muster a timid smile, "I've been nervous."

His pats my hand reassuringly, "You have nothing to be nervous about. You're great." I meet his brown eyes that display his true feelings that I can do this. I only wish that I had that much faith in myself this moment. I smile a _thank you_ before he turns towards the audience, "So, would you guys like to know a little bit more about Annabeth Chase?" They cheer again as I push out shaky breaths and concentrate on keeping my hands still, "Alright, well let's watch then." His hand extends out forth towards a thin screen that is soon lit up with my face.

I train my eyes on the blown up me as the lights slowly dim, wondering what exactly will fill this montage about my life. Never before have I seen this, yet a glance from the audience tells me that they are captivated to learn more about me. It's rather odd to see myself and friends interacting normally as well as their takes on me being on the show Cupid's Amor. Thalia, my best friend, seems rather skeptical about the show overall but manages to say kind words about me as her shocking blue eyes light up the screen. Silena mentions how she was the one to send in my application because she knew that I would be perfect for the show while twirling her sandy blonde hair. Well, it's more like she probably thought I would never be able to find someone new when I'm so career oriented. But the last person with startling grey eyes much like mine though sporting dark hair, she is the one that makes me gasp in surprise.

"Annabeth has always been great at her job," my mother smiles from the large, leather chair in her familiar office. "She truly is a great architect, but it's really been at the cost of her personal life." Pictures of Luke and me flash across the screen, and I purse my lips together to keep the small amount of pain that I still hold inside of me. I don't need my expression to disclose the effect that hearing about Luke still has on me, even though it has been months. "I feel as though this is my fault," and _awes _echo through the audience as my mother shakes her head with a small frown. "You see, I put the impression in her head that love would fail her just as it has failed so many others, so I feel as though it's my fault that she's so cynical about love and puts her job first. I just hope that she knows that maybe it didn't work out for her father and me, but I do believe that love can work out for her." Her lips curl into a small smile as I bite my bottom one, "Goodluck, Annabeth." The lights slowly begin to brighten as the audience claps, some even brushing away a few escaped tears. I push back the shocked expression from my face as I have never heard my mother say anything like that to me. There's a time for me to let that fill my brain, but that time is not now.

Chris claps along as well, before waiting for the audience to quiet down, "So, for those of you who have never watched the show before, here's an explanation of the show. Annabeth, here, will have four men that have been chosen by her friends and family as men whom she will have the chance at love with. In the end, Annabeth will have to send three men home until it comes down to her final guy: the guy that Cupid has decided is her love. Now this season, there's a twist: all four guys have the option of choosing money or a chance at love with Annabeth. The amount of money ranges from a dollar to two hundred fifty thousand dollars. And in the end, after Annabeth makes her choice, the guy will have the chance of choosing Annabeth or the money. Now remember, no guy knows how much money he has. So, let's meet the four lucky guys who have a chance with Annabeth or two hundred fifty thousand dollars!" I stand along with Chris, but different thoughts tumble through my head. _Special edition? Choosing between me and money. What if the guy I choose in the end decides that he wants the money instead?_ I now know exactly why Thalia was skeptical of this entire thing; it has basically set me up for heartbreak.

Barely shaking my head, I plaster on a fake smile and walk with Chris towards the four guys who will have the chance to break my heart. I fight the urge to ask Chris what the entire money aspect is about because I definitely had no idea about that part when I signed on to do the show. Setting my jaw, I simply walk along with Chris, knowing that he and I will need to have a rather long discussion.

"Okay, so each guy will say his name, how old he is, and one fact about him. And you are?" Chris asks the first guy who's holding a mike. I turn my attention towards him, a man with dark uneven hair and an eye patch over his eye. His other eye stares out at me, so dark that I am unable to see where the iris ends and pupil begins. Sure, some may find him attractive, but I find him to be extremely unsettling altogether.

He nods, "I'm Ethan." I glance at his hands gripping the microphone as they begin to turn white from the strong hold, "Uh, I'm twenty-eight years old and a cool fact about me…" He pushes his lips to the side, probably trying to think of a good fact. I wonder if it's all an act or if he truly isn't certain what fact to go with, "I have a rough exterior missing an eye and all, so most people won't give me a fair chance. I hope that you will, though, Annabeth." And for the first time, he smiles, his face lighting up for a second with nervousness and happiness.

"I will," I smile back, realizing that the unsettling feeling that I got from Ethan may have just been me judging him in the first place. Nevertheless, I still take great pride in my gut instincts being right, so I make note of not letting my guard down easily. For all I know, he may just be here for the money.

The audience coos, and I inwardly roll my eyes at how easily they've been taken by Ethan and probably even me. Chris moves on, "Great to meet you Ethan. Okay, now the next guy."

I turn my attention to a well-built guy, however his vivid blue eyes catch my attention, "I'm Will, and I'm twenty-seven but only for a couple more weeks." He speaks easily, the only sign of nervousness being his flexing muscles. Then and again, he may have been doing that on purpose. "While it may surprise people since I'm tall, muscular, and such," the women in the audience let out a few hoots, and I roll my eyes. Still, Will only shrugs seeming unaffected, "I was originally a male nurse, but I also went to medical school. So, now I'm a doctor, not a body builder."

I chuckle at his joke, liking that he seems extremely genuine, "I'll be sure to remember that, Will." He grins before passing the microphone to the next guy. I take in the messy raven hair and piercing sea-green eyes, almost missing Chris telling the guy that he could begin.

"Well, I'm Percy, and I'm not doctor or body builder," the audience lets out an exasperated sigh while Percy sends Will a joking glare. "Thanks for setting such high standards," he turns his attention back towards me, his sea-green eyes sparkling with amusement. "I'm twenty-five years old, so I'm probably the youngest guy here which may or may not have its advantages. So, for a cool a fact…" His eyes seem unfocused for a second while he thinks. I bite my lip, forcing myself not to look away from his face and at the rest of his body. "Yeah, I guess it's sort of cool that I've swam with a lot of marine animals. You know, fish, sharks, jellyfish, though I think they're more dangerous than sharks; seals, you name it, I've probably swam with it. Oh, I also have a horse," he chuckles before passing the microphone on to the next guy.

I pause, wondering what comment I could possibly make to Percy without sounding caught up in his appearance; I settle for, "You'll have to tell me more about those adventures." He nods and mouths _I will_, before I turn my attention to the last guy.

"Alright, this is the last guy, Annabeth," Chris then turns back to the guy. "The floor is all yours."

He nods, "Well, I'm Xander." I wonder silently if maybe it's short for Alexander or something of that like, "No, my name isn't short for Alexander."

I smile, "You got me." I didn't mean for it to sound flirty anything like that, but I have a feeling that it did.

Nonetheless, he smiles and continues, "Yeah, I get that a lot, so I figured I would just put it out there. So, I'm twenty-seven, and I don't know any cool or interesting facts that I could tell you… I mean, I haven't swum with sharks, I'm not a doctor, and I don't have a rough exterior." And I have to agree, Xander has dirty blonde hair that almost looks brown as well as soft hazel eyes. Actually, he pretty much has a baby face that almost makes him appear to be a teen, "So, I guess my not-so-cool fact would be that I've never had my heartbroken, and I hope that remains after this." He grins timidly, and I can't help but wonder if maybe he has done all of the heart breaking before.

Chris glances towards me for a comment, but I can only say, "It's nice to meet you, Xander." I can't ensure that I won't be the one to break his heart, and I can't ensure that he won't be the one to break mine into multiple pieces. For all I know, he may have a trail of broken hearts that have led him to this point. He nods with a smile on his face, and I wonder if maybe that smile has won over the hearts of many that wound up being left broken. _Stop overanalyzing, Annabeth._

"Alright, now that we have met the four guys, it will be up to Annabeth to choose the one she loves, and it will be up to the guys to choose Annabeth or the money. Tune in next week to see Annabeth and the guys get to know more about each other. And also next week, there will be even more twists from this special edition of Cupid's Amor. Have a great night, folks!" Chris grins as the audience applauses until the stage director says the taping is over.

I have no idea what's in store for the coming weeks, but I can only hope that no heartbreak is lined up for me or any of the guys. But sadly, it seems likely as I glance at the faces of all four, and realize that while some may be starting to "fall" for me, I'm already starting to develop feelings for a couple of them. Even if they are just small crushes.

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**AN: For those of you who know me from my other stories, this is my writer's block. Basically I wrote the entire thing out in, eh, two days because I was having trouble coming up with a couple ideas for ALL of my other stories. I really like the story overall, and I hope you all do as well. I'd love to know what you all think, and I promise to get working on the next chapter for one of my stories as I can; I still have to do summer reading.**

** I'd love to know what you think of it, and t****hanks for reading!**  


**~Jam.  
**

**P.S. Links to pictures of the guys are on my profile.  
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	2. Silver Lining

**AN: Thank you to **_**flyonfan14, tajee165, Pug1998, JustMe, PJAC18, inernokittens. Iciclewolves, ButterflyFlytoMe, Mitzipitzi, yanksrock615**_** for taking the time to read and review. It means a lot to me. Anonymous review replies will be at the end.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians.**

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**Chapter 2  
****Silver Lining**

I stop outside of the door that will lead into the guys' home. Honestly, the deep brown door scares me so much because it will mean that I'm embarking towards possible heartbreak by putting myself out there again. Sighing, my knuckles make compact with door, echoing a deep sound while I take a few steps back from the door. I count my breaths until the door swings open, and I'm greeted by the green eyes of Percy. He looks cutely surprised for a second before opening the door wider, "Hey, Annabeth. Come in."

I nod, politely, "Thanks, Percy." I wonder if whether or not I should greet him with a hug, but ultimately my nerves take over causing me to merely smile. "So, where are the rest of the guys?"

"This way," he says, before leading me down a white walled hallway that opens up into what looks like a living room. I take in the floor to ceiling windows that open out into a wide pool before glancing around at the other three guys who are on the couch. "I brought a friend," Percy announces, cocking his head towards me.

The other three guys stand up, issuing hi's and heys to me. I shoot them a nervous smile, "Hey guys. So, we're actually having our first date today, and it's going to be a group date. Basically, we're just gonna go for a swim and have a nice barbeque here. It's going to be pretty relaxed but definitely fun."

"Great," Percy smiles while leaning carelessly against the wall to my left, "should we get going?"

I nod slightly, "Well, if you guys have your swim trunks?"

"Yep," Xander says, standing up off the couch and gesturing towards the door, "after you, Annabeth." He smiles gently as I walk forward to pass them. Still, I can't help but be weary of him since he has never had his heartbroken. I try not to analyze every single thing that he does, but I can't help but do that.

Coming to stand outside, in front of the pool, I glance at the other guys removing their shirts before I timidly remove my cover up. I feel slightly awkward standing amongst the four of them in only a thin, grey bikini since I've never been one to show off my body. Ethan is the first to jump in, followed by Xander and Will. Taking deep breaths, I try to calm my nerves, but nothing seems to help my turning stomach.

"You alright?" Percy stands slightly behind me, placing a hand on my shoulder. His green eyes show concern as he looks down at me. He runs his hand along my shoulder, and I feel myself starting to relax.

Letting out a sigh, I admit, "I'm nervous. I guess I'm not really used to being around four guys who are all vying for my attention while I'm in a bikini." I tug nervously on my fingers, glancing down at the two small pieces of material that cover less than a third of me.

Percy grins playfully, "What? Are you used to more?" I punch his arm jokingly, not able to hide back a smile. "Ow," Percy mutters, but his chuckle gives away that he's not actually hurting. "What do you say we go in together then?" He smiles down at me, interlacing his fingers with mine. Squeezing my hand reassuringly, "I bet you'll completely forget your nerves when you're in the water."

"It's probably only easy for you because you've swam with sharks," I state jokingly, trying to forget about my nerves altogether. It really doesn't take much because something about Percy really calms me.

He shrugs, "Yeah, I guess a pool isn't as bad as the ocean filled with sharks." His thumb starts to rub over the back of hand calming me altogether. "So, what do you say we just jump in?" I nod, letting him walk me towards the edge of the pool. Each step I take, my nerves start to reform inside of me, however each brush of Percy's thumb against my hand pushes them away. "One, two, jump," he says, as I push my feet off the cool stone surrounding the pool and plunge under the water. As we resurface, I push my hair back out of my face, now coming to straighten instead of curl. "Feeling better?"

I smile, biting my bottom lip, "Yeah, I think you were right."

"Hey," Ethan swims over towards us, causing Percy and me to turn away from each other.

I sigh, "Hi, Ethan." It's not that I'm unhappy to see him, but being around Percy had caused me to forget that I was a part of the show the entire time, forget that one them could end up breaking my heart.

Following Ethan were Will and Xander, all three of them coming to join Percy and me. I try not to feel disappointed, however I can't help but shake that feeling as all five of us now stand in the pool. "Annabeth," I turn my attention towards Will, noticing his broad shoulders and blonde hair plastered on his head, "you look great."

I feel my cheeks start to heat up and can't help but smile at the compliment, "Thanks, Will. So, would you guys like to know about what we're going to do this week?" I attempt to change the subject, not wanting for there to be any awkward silences. They nod, so I continue, "Well, we'll have this group date where we can talk and get to know each other. Then, I have the option of going on a date with one of you, and then I'll sadly have to send one of you guys home." They all seem defeated when I bring up the fact that one of them would be going home so quickly.

"So, who gets the one-on-one?" Xander asks, a hopeful look in his eye.

I shrug, "I'm not sure, really." I mean, there are a couple of them who I would love to get to know better, yet I could also use that date to reaffirm any feelings that I have about who to send home. "Oh yeah, I also have the choice of changing that one-on-one into a two-on-one, but I'm not really sure what I'm going to do yet."

"Well, you'll make the right choice," Will grins from across the pool, making me feel as though maybe I very well will pick the right guy out of the four of them. "So, Annabeth, do you play any sports?"

I relax into the conversation as it seems like the guys also want to get to know a bit more about me, "I've played a couple throughout the years, but right now, I'm actually into sword fighting. I used to do it as a little kid, but I started getting into it again."

"Remind me never to mess with you," Xander chuckles as well as the rest of the guys, but there's something about his comment that strikes me as odd. _Never mess with me?_ Why would he want to _mess_ with me in the first place? Still, I shrug off the comment though, knowing that I'm probably overanalyzing everything that he says.

Ethan clears his throat, "I've never been too good with anything that involved hand-eye coordination." I frown slightly, realizing how debilitating it must have been for him to have only one good eye, "I went blind in my left eye when I was younger, but I have some other heightened senses. My mom used to say that it was a balancing act, kind of like an equal amount of good and bad."

"Used to?" I wonder aloud, not certain as to whether or not his mother is still alive. Normally, people talk in the present tense when their parents or anyone else for that matter is still alive.

He nods, "Yeah, that's really the one memory I have of my mom. She was never really around and never really claimed me as being her own. It sort of put me into a rebellious streak, but I like to think I've grown out of it." His voice falls for a second when speaking of his mom, and I feel thankful that I still have my mom even without a great relationship.

I frown slightly, "I'm sorry about that Ethan." Wanting to change the topic to something happier, as well as being curious, I ask, "So, what did you used to do then during your rebellious years?"

Ethan laughs for a couple of seconds before shaking his head, "I sort of have a record. I hotwired cars, stole from a couple of stores, got into a lot of fights, did vandalism, and sort of made a name for myself. I got suspended quite often from school, but it was worth it with all the pranks I did." Most of the guys slap his shoulder or give him a few "_nice"'s._ I, on the other hand, am not exactly impressed with Ethan's record especially not the way he speaks of it as if he were proud.

"Yeah, I had the same problem," Percy states, and I raise my eyebrows as he glances at me. "Well, not really the same thing, but I got expelled from a lot of schools when I was younger. Weird stuff always happened around me, and people assumed I caused it. I didn't though, at least not most of the time. I mean, one time I started a fire, but I still don't know how that happened. I didn't have matches or a lighter or anything that could start a fire…" His green eyes plead towards me to believe him, and somehow I do believe that he isn't proud of having been kicked out of schools or having started a fire.

"Wow," Will shakes his head, smiling, "the worst that I've done is hit a teacher with an arrow. It was my first time doing archery, and someone yelled my name. Then, yup, I turn and released the arrow. I'm actually pretty good at it now, so there's really nothing to worry about with that one." He grins as the rest of the guys and me chuckle at his misfortune in hitting someone with an arrow.

Xander shrugs as we all look to him for a story, "I really don't know. I mean, in high school, I got caught a couple of times with a few girls in the janitors room, but it really isn't that exciting." I roll my eyes at Xander's story, and how he was probably the high school's player in his time. "What about you, Annabeth?" Xander deflects the attention away from him, glancing towards me with soft hazel eyes.

I shrug, "I really don't have any stories." My high school existence was nothing compared to any of theirs.

"Come on," Ethan smirks, swimming a bit closer towards me, "you have to have some sort of story. Everyone does." His smirk turns into something of a challenging smile as if looking for some flaw in me.

"Yeah, says the guy who was practically in a gang," Will chuckles, jokingly pushing Ethan's head to the side. I grin, happy that Will diffused the tension that was starting to build up.

Sighing, I try to think of some sort of story, "I really don't know. I haven't gotten in trouble at school ever or anything." But then, my memory flickers back to the time that I ran away from home with Thalia and Luke. It surprises me that I hadn't thought of that right away, but then and again, I don't consider it to be a part of school. "Well, I mean, there is one thing that doesn't have to do with school…"

Ethan rolls his eyes, "Just tell us already." I raise my eyebrows at his open rudeness and disregard for respect. He was definitely starting to rub me the wrong way, more than Xander.

"You don't have to tell us if you don't want to, Annabeth," Percy says gently, finding my hand with his underwater. I smile slightly as he squeezes my hand reassuringly, only hoping the rest of the guys can't see, "Really, you don't have to do anything you're not comfortable with or anything like that."

"It's just a story, Percy," Ethan spats, glaring down into the water where my hand is interlocked with Percy's. I release my grip and put a bit more space between Percy and me, "We're not pressuring her into anything that she doesn't want to do."

Percy raises his eyebrows, "Really? Then what do you call what you were doing?"

"Guys, I'll tell the story," I say, not wanting them to get into an argument over a dumb story about me running away. Certainly, I'm not giving into Ethan or anything, but I just don't think it's worth it to get into something about my little story. I place my hand on Percy's arm, trying to tell him with my actions that I'm thankful, "Really, I'm not pressured into telling the story. I know I didn't have to if I didn't want to tell you guys."

"Exactly," Ethan smirks towards Percy, crossing his arms over his chest. I have a great urge to slap that smirk off of his face, but I obviously know that I need to suppress it.

I roll my eyes, taking my hand off Percy's arm, "Well, I ran away when I was seven since I was pretty sure my dad and stepmom didn't really care for me. That's where I met Thalia, my best friend, and Luke, my ex-boyfriend. Anyways, we stayed on the run for a while and eventually I returned home to my dad. That's also the time when I became interested in sword fighting. Luke gave me a bronze knife to protect myself, and yeah, that's where my love of sword fighting came. I still prefer to use a knife, though. Luke always said it took a 'clever girl' to fight with a knife." Letting my eyes pass over the guys' faces, I notice how some seem impressed, one concerned, and then there is Ethan who looks completely bored by my story.

Laughs erupt from Ethan, "Wow, that's the fakest story that I've ever heard in my life." He continues laughing, shaking his head all the time.

"Excuse me?" I ask, not at all trying to cover my offended tone.

"Seriously, that was obviously not real. I mean a seven year old having to learn how to fight with a knife? That's ridiculous. And then, this Luke guy just so happens to have a bronze knife? And, you just so happen to find your now best friend and ex-boyfriend? Come on, who really believes that shit?" Ethan makes an indignant noise when the rest of the guys shrug or say that they believe it, "Seriously, it's obviously made up."

I set my jaw, becoming angered at being called a liar, "No, it's actually true."

"You can drop the bullshit, babe," Ethan grins, nodding his head. "Look, I know you may be a goody-two-shoes, but it's alright. You don't have to make up some shit to make me like you or anything." His smile remains, but instead of being comforting, it only seems to taunt me.

I run my tongue over my teeth, weighing my options, "Well, _babe_, I'll be leaving." Pushing my arms against the cool stone, I haul my body out of the pool to stand out of it.

"Aw, you don't have to be embarrassed," Ethan taunts me as I turn my back towards him to grab my cover up and a towel. I ignore the camera that's following me and obviously getting some _good drama_ for when they air this episode.

Turning back, I push down the anger so it isn't heard in my voice, "Oh, Ethan? You can also pack your bags and leave because I can assure you that you are not the guy that I love," cocking my head to the side, I throw in a fake smile before it drops to an angered expression, "_babe._"

"That's fine because I only came here for the money," he yells, chuckling while the rest of the guys just watch on while he grins.

I shake my head, knowing that I should have known better than to do this show in the first place. "Oh, well, I hope you were the one who only had a dollar in his briefcase." I smirk while slipping on my flip flops, wishing I could have seen his face as he opens the briefcase only for the amount inside to say a dollar. That, I would pay to watch. Sadly, I won't get to see that happening anytime soon. Turning on my heel, I walk through the door, into the living room, and continue down the hall that Percy had originally led me through.

Each step I take only helps to increase the anger that's bubbling inside of me. The only thing that I hate more than being called dumb is being called a liar or anything like that. Maybe I should be thankful that it won't get down to the end where I pick Ethan, and he dumps me for the money. But just thinking of that, it only helps to increase the anger that I have towards him. I swing open the brown door, shaking my head which then disperses small water droplets from my wet hair. I really don't care if it may appear that I overreacted because I don't think any self-respecting woman would have allowed Ethan to say what he said. Plus, I really do plan to address that in the short clip that I have to talk about the day.

"Wait, Annabeth," I turn around to see Percy running after me still in his blue swim trunks. For a second, my anger diffuses as I watch him run towards me, his black boxers peeking out of his trunks. The closer he comes, the more defined his abs become when he stops in front of me.

I sigh, "Hey, Percy." Really, it's extremely sweet of him to come after me even though I really just want to be alone right now. It doesn't help that I'm angry at not only Ethan but am deflecting the anger at all of the guys right now.

He runs a hand through his messy hair, "I'm sorry about Ethan." His green eyes display his concern once again as he pulls at the ends of his messy hair.

I watch his movements that come off angered as well, "Really, you have nothing to apologize for since you're not Ethan." I shrug, knowing that I shouldn't be mad at Percy especially since he's the only guy that's come after me.

He lets out a deep breath, "I'm just happy you're not mad at me." His body seems to relax more as he takes a wider stance, his facial muscles relaxing as well.

"Why would I be mad at you?" I wonder, not entirely sure why he would have thought that in the first place.

"I just… I didn't want you to think that I came here, too, just for the money. I mean, my friend, Grover, sent in my application, and I agreed to it before I even knew that there would be money. I just… I don't want you to think I'm here for the wrong reasons, too. I'm here for you and to get to know you. And if you pick me in the end, then that's really just a huge plus," he chuckles lightly at the end, rocking from side to side.

I smile breaking my eye contact from him in embarrassment, "Thanks, Percy. I really needed to hear that after what Ethan said." When my eyes meet his again, I see his honest care for me as well as nervousness behind them, "Well, I know I'm not supposed to do this, but do you want to go back to my house with me? I mean, I do have the option of a one one-on-one still, but I'm not exactly up for a big date right now. So, if you just want to walk me home? You know, if you want to take it…" I trial off nervously, not sure if Percy will agree to go as well. Surely, I hope that he does, yet I'm not entirely certain of what his response will be.

He nods, grinning, "I'd like that, a lot."

"So, what do you do for a living?" I ask as we amble further and further away from the house as well as my anger.

"Marine biologist," he says, pulling the shirt over his head that he had previously slung over his shoulder. I inwardly frown for a second as he pulls it down over his stomach.

I bump my shoulder against him lightly, "Oh really? Why am I not surprised?"

"I don't know," he smiles down at me, bumping his hand into mine. I wonder if he will hold my hand again, but disappointingly, he doesn't this time. "I guess I sort of gave it away when I told you all the things I've swam with and such. But I mean, I also own an aquarium and stuff so yeah. It's to help rehabilitate animals until they're ready to go back into the wild."

"Wow," I say somewhat under my breath, "that's actually pretty cool and nice of you." Inwardly, I slap my head at my response. I mean really, _that's actually pretty cool and nice of you?_ What was I thinking?

He shrugs absentmindedly, "I've just always been really connected with the water and stuff, so I guess it was no surprise when I wound up in that field for a job. It's normally only kids that find it to be cool," he adds with a teasing smile.

"Are you calling me a kid, Percy?" I ask with a stern expression yet playfully. Unlike Ethan, I know that what Percy is saying is nowhere near close to being insulting.

He grins, "Maybe I am, Chase." His voice rings with amusement although it doesn't match his facial expression.

I frown slightly, "Come on, using the last name isn't fair when I don't even know what yours is." And even though I frown, I'm honestly curious to know more about Percy.

Scratching the back of his head, "Jackson: Perseus Jackson at your service."

"Perseus," I question, only connecting that name back to Greek mythology back in middle school, "as in the Greek hero?"

He nods, "Yeah, that's it. My dad's name is Poseidon, and I guess my whole family on my dad's side is into Greek mythology and such. So, I wound up being the lucky kid with a dumb name." When he shakes his head, his hair falls in front of his face almost completely covering his eyes.

"I like your name," I say honestly, somewhat wishing I could have a name with some form of history. "My mom's name is Athena, so I've always envied people who have names with a history behind them."

Percy shrugs, walking beside me as we walk the cobbled pave that leads to my door, "I guess, but you can never really live up to that sort of history. I mean, I won't ever be in mythology books and such like Perseus is. I'll just be Percy Jackson the guy that just so happens to own an aquarium and likes sea animals." His voice sounds somewhat downcast even though he seems to have accepted his fate.

I consider what he says, having already accepted that myself, "It doesn't mean that we can't make a name for ourselves, though." He glances at me curiously but says nothing so I continue, "I'm certain that there's someone who will always remember you, Percy." I smile lightly, knowing that the person will more than likely be me. Even if I don't end up picking him, he will still be the guy who came after me to make sure that I was okay and reassure me.

"Well, I think we're here," he says regarding me quizzically. His green eyes scour my face, and I can't help but feel somewhat self-conscious, especially since I have yet to put my cover up back on.

"Yeah," I nod, turning to face him as he puts his hands on his hips, looking down at me. For once, I'm not sure what to say, yet the slight silence feels comfortable and not at all awkward. "I would invite you in, but I'm really just not up for a date or anything right now. You know, after all of that…" I trail off, not wanting to remark upon the occurrence with Ethan.

He nods, "I understand what you mean. Well, I see you later." Percy pauses for a few seconds, looking at me before he turns and walks back towards the guys' house. I sigh, hoping that Percy doesn't feel as though I'm not interested or anything because I'm definitely quite the opposite.

**...**

"Yeah, I guess this wasn't exactly the way that I intended the day to go," I say into the camera as I was instructed to give my opinion on the day. "I mean, I don't think anyone likes having to deal with a jerk when you share a personal story like that. But really, what can I do? Stuff happens, and that was a prime example of it. I hope that no other girls have to be subjected to Ethan after I was because he's a huge, egotistical jerk. And well, he kind of brought out my fear of all of the guys just being here to win the money. I mean, of all seasons to be on Cupid's Amor? I get the one where guys can dump me just to get richer? That really sucks," I chuckle lightly at my misfortune instead of being angered by it. "Still, I hope that I can find love or even just a relationship in this situation no matter how much it sucks that I could be dumped since there's money on the line. After talking to Percy, I really sort of think that there might be a chance at that however sometimes his actions make me question whether he sees me as a friend or something more. For example, when we walked back to my house, he didn't hold my hand even though his hand bumped into mine. Still, it really meant a lot to me when he said he didn't agree to this because of the money. It really makes me think that maybe the three guys left will actually want a chance with me, for real." I smile, knowing that as of right this second, the one guy that sticks out in my head who I might have a chance of something real with is Percy. It would just be a lot easier if I knew he feels the same.

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**AN: I wasn't exactly thrilled with this chapter after going back and reading it for editing purposes; it's not written in my normal style, so that's probably why. Well, if you want to know more about when I'm going to update, ask me questions, or anything, then you can follow my blog/tumblr (allstarry707. Tumblr. com). The link's on my profile.**

**Well, I hope you guys liked the progression. Until next time,**

**~ Jam. xx**

**P.S. Links to pictures of the guys are on my profile as well as a link to my PJO blog.**

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	3. Feelings' Arrival

**AN: Thanks to ****_luckyducky516, MKAlza11, diginerd, flyonfan14, Pug1998, ButterflyFlyToMe, epicsilverbullet, MereBell_**** for taking the time to review. It means a lot to me.**

**Hope you enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians. That is why I am on fanfic.**

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**Chapter 3  
****Feelings' Arrival  
**

For the next three weeks, I would be going on one date a week and maybe a group hangout if I really wanted to, but after the last group hangout, I'm not really sure if I want to do another one of those. Even if I didn't act like it, the whole Ethan situation really shook me up although Percy helped to reassure me that people were there for the right reasons. Still, I'm definitely more skeptical of this entire situation than before, especially since Chris thinks that I could really fall _in love_ with someone after going on a maximum of five dates, assuming I chose to do a group hangout each week. I told him he was a bit crazy for believing that, however he truly thinks that I might fall in love with one of the three remaining guys. Still, I'm not entirely sure about that one ever happening.

Clenching my hands in fists to stop them from shaking, I knock against the door of the guys' house. Chris had already swung by in order to tell them that I would be going on a date with Xander this week, so I'm really just planning on quickly picking up Xander and going. To be honest, I'm more nervous about possibly seeing Percy than my date with Xander. It's somewhat illogical how nerves work and all, but they've had a week since I've last seem the guys to build up.

The door swings open to, thankfully, reveal Xander dressed casually in khaki shorts that fit him well, "Hey, Annabeth." He smiles, walking through the door to stand in front of me then closing it. Using his hand, he pushes his hair away from his face seeming extremely nervous.

"Hi Xander," I smile, glad that I can render him nervous. It makes him seem more genuine instead of the somewhat of a player that he appeared to be yesterday.

He lets out a deep breath, rolling his shoulders, "Look, Annabeth, I'm sorry that I didn't do anything yesterday about Ethan. I really should have said something then or gone after you, but I didn't do it. I know I laughed a couple of times at some of his mean jokes, but I just… I just thought that was what I was supposed to do to fit in with the rest of the guys." His shoulder slump slightly as his hazel eyes break away from me and towards his sneakers.

I inwardly smile at his uneasiness, "It's alright, Xander. I really know that it was a big shock to everyone how Ethan reacted. I would have liked to have responded differently, but I did what I did in the heat of the moment." When his eyes meet mine hopefully, I allow myself to smile at him. The two of us started walking towards the car that I had waiting.

He grins, shaking his head, "You were great, everything that you said. I mean, he really deserved it after he called you a liar. Just because you didn't go around acting like you were in a gang doesn't mean you were lying and stuff. And, I'm really sorry that you felt unwanted because I doubt that anyone could not want you." I glance at his face only to see him blush at what he said. "I mean… I just meant…" He stumbles uneasily over the words that he just let out.

Chuckling, I reassure him, "That was really sweet, Xander." Was this really the same guy that I had overanalyzed all of his moves? Still, I planned to learn a lot more about him through this date.

**…**

"We're mini golfing?" Xander asks, picking out a red ball from the assorted colors while I pick a grey. "It matches your eyes," he smiles, nodding towards the grey ball that's resting in my hand.

I shrug, "I guess it does. And yes, we're mining golfing. What's so bad about mini golfing?" I smile, walking across the small bridge that leads us to the first hole.

He shakes his head while grinning, "I'm not good at mini golfing. Honestly, I suck at it. I'm probably worse at the miniature version than the normal version." I laugh, and he pretends to be offended, "Seriously, it's like the mini version gives me way more trouble.

"Okay," I try to stop my chuckling however looking at Xander's face doesn't help much since he's pouting, "I'll help you out then if you need it, alright?" In an attempt to conceal my smile, I bite my bottom lip and glance away from him.

He nods, "Alright, we have a deal then." His face lights up at my suggestion, reminding me of when I was a teenager. Even though I'm five years past that start, his baby-ish face reminds me of those days, "You go first?" Xander's face turns serious as he eyes the first hole. Honestly, the first hole is the easiest one, so I hope he doesn't have any trouble with it.

"Sure," I say, before dropping my golf ball on the middle hole out of three. Lining up my putt, I give a few practice swings before letting the putter make contact with the ball as it easily curves into the hole. I grin triumphantly, turning to Xander who looks amazed.

"Wow," he shakes his head before placing his ball down and getting ready to putt.

"Wait," I state, walking onto the golf course.

His face shows confusion, "Why?"

Rolling my eyes, I realize that Xander must not have golfed very often, "I have to get my ball out of hole before you putt." Before I turn, I notice his face start to redden out of embarrassment and can't help but love that Xander is definitely out of his element. To be honest, it really suits him well. "Alright, you're all good," I say once I've stepped off the green.

He nods, bringing back his putter a couple of times awkwardly before sending his ball far left from the hole and right in front of me. "I'm not very good at this," he summarizes, coming towards me, or well, towards his ball.

I smile lightly, "You're not even going to try to play it off as if you were aiming towards me?" I like that he's aware of his shortcomings and isn't afraid to own up to them.

He shrugs, "If I were aiming at you, the ball would have probably wound up in the hole." His face turns into a timid grin before he focuses on putting once again. I watch as he places his legs far too wide, bends his knees, and leans backwards away from the ball.

I can't help but chuckle, "Xander?" I place a hand on his lower back, ignoring the slight tumble in the pit of my stomach, "I think you need to work on your form…" Even though I'm doing my best, I can't hold back a few escaping laughs while Xander just shakes his head at me jokingly. "Here," I stand behind him, pressing my body slightly against his and ignoring any and all feelings that are coming due to it, "now, close your legs a bit." He does as I say, a small smile showing only due to his dimple appearing on his cheek. "Okay, now lean forward and straighten your knees," his stance gets just that much better as he listens to me. Looking down at his hands, I see that they're already in good form for golfing, so I merely place my hands over his and guide the putter back and forth. "And now, we aim towards the hole," I whisper for a reason that I'm not even sure of. The putter makes contact with the ball and lands in the whole. I smile, "Then, you get a birdie." We continue to stand with me pressing up against him for a few more seconds longer than necessary until I back up, and he straightens up.

"A birdie?" He questions, going to retrieve his ball while I try to calm my racing heart.

I smile, "Yeah, it was a par three, and you made it in two shots. That's called a birdie…" I trail off, knowing just from the look on Xander's face that he didn't exactly understand what I was getting at when it came to golf. Still, I can't blame him since I originally didn't get it when my dad first taught me.

"Oh?" His face contorts into a questioning look that makes me chuckle. He smiles, "I think I like golf… or at least mini golf," and walks towards where I'm standing.

I roll my eyes, "We've only played one hole so far, and it only gets harder from here."

"I know," he grins, intertwining his hand with mine as we make our way to the second hole. Xander bends his head down slightly so that it's next to my ear, "I like getting special attention from the teacher."

Pushing him away from me, I chuckle as I set my ball down at the next hole, "Don't get used to it, Xander." But inwardly, I know that I honestly wouldn't mind getting used to being around Xander after seeing him today.

**…**

To say the least, I beat Xander at mini golf by well, let's just say that I beat him by a lot. Picking up a fry and placing it into my mouth, I smile as Xander recounts how he was actually getting better at golf as we went on to play more holes. I'm not entirely sure if he could have gotten _worse_, however I definitely don't plan to burst his bubble. "Okay, I guess you got better…" I trail off with a joking smile as I place another French fry in my mouth.

He grins before noticing my expression, "Hey, I basically suck, so now I just suck a little less. I think I should celebrate." His hand quickly swipes a French fry from my plate before I can swipe it away.

"Yeah, you got that one right," I roll my eyes as he eats the French fry that he definitely didn't deserve. Unlike I'm expecting, Xander doesn't say anything back in reply but meets my grey eyes with his hazel. I wonder if maybe he's unsure of what to say, but I'm certain of what he's intending as he brings his face slowly closer to mine. Do I want to kiss him? Yes, I know that I do. But, there's something holding me back: the thought of having to face Percy, knowing that I kissed Xander before him.

I can't bring myself to meet Xander's lips, "I'm sorry." Dropping my head down, I fear seeing the expression that's played across Xander's face. It's probably smothered with confusion and hurt as well as rejection. I didn't mean to reject him however I just couldn't bring myself to kiss him knowing that I would have to face Percy. I'm not even sure _why_ it matters to me as to if I had kissed a guy before Percy, but for some reason it does.

"Uh, it's okay?" His voice sounds questioning, as if not entirely certain as to what he did wrong. I can't blame him because he truly did nothing wrong in the first place.

I bring my head up to meet his hazel eyes that regard me uncomfortably, "Xander, you really did nothing wrong. I just don't feel right about kissing you right now." His hazel eyes spark with confusion, and the flecks of green remind me of the sea-green eyes of Percy. Why am I thinking of Percy?

He nods, "Oh, do you not kiss on the first date? Or, is it something that I did?" His tone sounds concerned and overall uneasy.

I shake my head, "No and no, I just don't feel right about it." But not wanting to give him the straight answer, I consider what else it could be that would bother me about kissing him, "You said that you've never had your heart broken. I don't understand how that could be…" I trail off, hoping that he can't see through my half-truth reason. The concern in his eyes seems to look into me as he tilts his head to the side, but I'm certain that he doesn't know that I gave him a half-truth.

Still, he sighs, "It's pretty easy, I guess. I've always wanted to find that girl who I wanted to marry and spend the rest of my life with and such. Sure, I've dated a couple of girls, but when I knew that I couldn't live with her forever, I broke up with her. I just didn't want to lead her on to thinking that maybe the two of us could have a forever kind of thing when I knew it really couldn't happen." He shrugs, seeming dejected, "I like to think that I've done a good thing by breaking up with them when I knew that I wouldn't end up marrying them."

My eyes roam over the dirty-blonde haired boy, understanding how he may have never had his heartbroken. Sure, his intentions may have been good however I worry that I may just be another girl who he no longer sees having a forever with, "What about that story about getting caught in the janitor's closet?"

He chuckles, his face turning amused, "Annabeth, I was in high school. People do stupid things, simple as that. I'm not a player or anything like that." I shrug timidly, putting a few fries into my mouth to allow myself to not have to talk. "Look, it's getting late, and the place is closing in five. So, I think it's time we go? I mean, unless there's something more planned for the date."

I shake my head, "No, this is really all there is to the date." I stand along with Xander as we walk towards the two cars that are waiting for us. Ultimately, I feel horrible that the date ended on an off note—me seeming to think that Xander was a player. Truthfully, I had completely overanalyzed everything that he said, and did, resulting in our now awkward walk to the car.

Noticing the, rather wide, space that's between us, I listen to the kicking up of gravel with a couple tumbling off my toes. I never intended to do that to Xander, to make him feel that I doubted his character. It was my horrible feeling that I could only always be correct with my intuition. Sighing, I stop in front the car that would take both Xander and I home wishing that there was a second sleek, black SUV. "Xander, I'm really sorry about that. I just thought that maybe you were too good to be true, having not broken someone's heart before. And then, the high school story honestly didn't help it." I press my hand against his, enjoying the warmth that's gained from the minimal contact. He accepts my hand, intertwining our fingers together.

He shrugs, his face still seeming stern, "It's alright, I suppose. I just want you to know that I do truly care about you, and I'm sorry if it seemed like I was moving too fast and such. I just read the moment wrong and, I don't know, thought you wanted to kiss me. But really, it's fine, and I respect that you want to wait." His mouth purses, but his hazel eyes still remain soft in the diming light.

I smile lightly as his answer that seems all too perfect. He would be what any woman considers the perfect man with his tone body, a genetic gift to women as some might say. Still, I can't help but feel that if I ended up with Xander, I would wonder every single day whether or not he truly cared about, and for, me. Because maybe that day, he would decide that he could never see that forever with me. "And then, you decide that you can't see that forever with the person, and you break up with him."

I press my hand against the cold handle, pulling open the door to the great sweep of cold air against my face. Sliding in, I buckle the seatbelt as Xander takes the seat on the other side of the car. Slightly frowning, I watch as Xander presses against the back of the seat while leaning his head against the window, "Annabeth, I can't tell you what's going to happen, but we all have to take a risk that it might not work out in the end."

"It doesn't mean you have to go into something thinking that it won't work out," I retort, annoyed that even as cynical as I am: I still believe that in the end two people could last forever if they really wanted to be together.

His breath mists the window as he sighs, "It's better than being disappointed when it doesn't last, Annabeth."

I roll my eyes, "It's better than just breaking up with people for the fear that it may not work out in the end." It's one thing to push people away and another to know that the two of you just couldn't work out.

"Whatever," Xander mutters under his breath merely annoying me even further. Echoing him, I lean my head against the window, watching the different images whiz by without much thought to what they truly hold behind the blur. Maybe I've been living my life with Xander's mindset, thinking that by not giving love a full chance then it couldn't hurt me the end. Because with my job, I know that I could truly never lose it in the end; I could still depend on it when I needed. Maybe all these other opportunities that I've had have only been blurred images on a window, sending me away from those chances at sixty miles per hour. And without thought, I allowed myself to miss every single one of those chances just like Xander pushes people away before he can truly lose them.

So when the car finally stops in front of the guys' house, the two of us exit out of opposite doors, having not spoken a word for almost the entire ride. Overall, I thought the date with Xander was great however I'm not sure now with the place it has left us. Pushing my hair back out of my face, I walk side by side with Xander to the door of the guys' house.

I sigh lightly, "Well, this is it." I'm not sure what I'm looking to hear from him or if I'm even wanting to hear something at all.

He runs a hand absentmindedly through his shaggy locks, "Yeah, I guess it is. Look, Annabeth, I don't want you to think that I'm just playing you or anything…" His voice trails off, breaking his eye contact away from me at the darkening sky.

"That's not what I thought, Xander," I try to reassure him, but I know that I truly can't tell him what stopped me from kissing him. There is no possible way that I can ruin this date further by telling him that Percy, of all people, was on my mind.

His eyes shine with confusion and a small amount of hurt as he meets my grey. I hope that he's unable to see the clouded thoughts that are circling my head, "Then what was it?" I drop my eyes from his face, and he steps forward grabbing my hands, "Annabeth, I want to know, so that I can do it right the next. Otherwise, it's going to bother me every single day for the rest of my life."

I mutter barely loud enough for him to hear, "It's really nothing that you can do, Xander." Inside, I'm cringing from the _it's-not-you,-it's-me_ excuse, yet that truly is the case this time.

He sighs, his hot breath hitting my forehead lightly as he drops my hands, "Okay, I don't get it but alright." I glance up to see him shaking his head, his hair moving along with the movement, "I really do like you, Annabeth. I had a great time mini golfing, and I hope we can do it again." His hands give mine a squeeze before he leaves me alone outside as he enters the house.

I press my hands into my shorts' pockets, willing the guilty feeling to evaporate. It was never my intention to hurt Xander or make him feel insufficient, or that I doubt him, but I just couldn't bring myself to kiss him when I knew that I should have kissed Percy first. If I'm completely honest with myself, I know that my feelings for Percy are much stronger than those for Xander or Will. It's just a fear that I have that maybe, this guy who I haven't known for long at all, he won't have the same feelings as me or he'll pick the money over me.

"Annabeth?" A voice whispers over the wind jolting me from my thoughts. I glance up to meet the deep, sea green eyes of the man I was thinking about before. His dark hair is plastered to his forehead, but as he walks closer, I can smell the light, deep scent wafting off of him. I smile weakly, "What are you still doing out here?" He stops to stand in front of me, the scent of ocean wafting off of him in waves.

"I just dropped Xander off from the date," I manage, noticing the way his shoulders slump as I mention my date with Xander. "What are you doing out here?" I question, realizing that it isn't normal for anyone to just decide to wander out of the house for no apparent reason. Plus, the guys aren't allowed to leave the house unless it's for a date that I plan.

He grins raising his eyebrows slightly, "I just took a shower." His thumb points back to the door to the guys' house.

I put my hands on my hips, cocking my head to the side, "Oh, that's a reason for you to come outside?" A slight smile spreads across my face, attempting to hide back the laugh that's threating to bubble out.

He shakes his head, "Yeah, isn't that what everyone does?" His hand runs across his forehead, pushing the sleek hair away from his eyes. I can't help but notice the slight bulge of his muscles has he does so.

"No, that's not what everyone does," I echo him, shaking my head with a growing smile. I've missed the joking banter that the two of us seem to have almost right away.

"Uh, no," he puts up his index fingering, screwing his mouth to the side, "that's definitely what people do. You take a shower and then you come outside through the front door." The same hand that once stuck his index finger up points his thumb back at the deep brown door.

"Oh really?" I question, nodding my head in mock agreement.

The corner of his lip lifts slightly into a smirk, "Yup." I roll my eyes at him, shaking my head however enjoying his ridiculous antics. "Well, do you want to come inside or do you want me to walk you back to your place?"

"Um," the smile wipes off my face as I imagine having to face Xander again, "I think I'll be heading back to my place this time…" I trail off, hoping that he'll realize that I want him to accompany me as well.

He nods, "Well, it's dark?" His voice sounds questioning as if not sure if I mean for him to come with me or not. I nod my head slowly, hoping that he'll get the idea of things soon. "And, you know, you shouldn't walk there alone…"

I roll my eyes, intertwining my fingers with his before I start to walk towards my house, "It took you long enough to figure it out, Seaweed Brain." I tease him, bumping my shoulder into his arm playfully.

"Seaweed Brain?" He questions, looking down at me slightly with an amused expression.

"Yep," I pop the 'p' leaning my head slightly against his shoulder. Walking with him, it pushes away the guilt that I had once held over not kissing Xander. It reminds me that I made the right choice by keeping Percy in mind.

I feel his hot breath hit the top of my head in puffs, and I imagine that he has turned to look at me, "Is that my new nickname?" His lips brush against the top of my head, and a small smile spreads itself against my lips.

"Yes," I nod against his shoulder, enjoying the strong feeling of it against my head, "it's basically because you couldn't figure out that I wanted you to walk with me and since you're so into water."

"Hey," he swings our hands slightly ahead of us before letting them drop again at our sides, "I got it eventually, didn't I?" His voice sounds amused, and I can almost picture the smirk that must be playing across his face.

I shake my head, "No, I basically had to drag you to my house, so I don't think that really counts." His chuckles barely register to my ears as I breathe in his ocean scent mingled with his natural musk. It's something that I could get used to smelling every day.

"Well, we can't all be wise girls, now can we?" His feet patter along the cobbled pave in step with mine as we near my house. For the first time, I wish the distance between the guys' house and mine was longer.

"Wise Girl?" I ask, glancing up to see him looking forward and nod, "I like it." Keeping my chin against his arm, I match his smile with mine before leaning back against his arm.

We both walk in silence up the cobbled stones with only patters of our footsteps and echoing stones that tumble down the pave disrupting the silence. It's not long before we stop in front of my door, the front light washing over the both of us and lighting up our features. Despite the light, Percy's once shining green eyes seem dull with sadness and disappointment. "I guess this is it?"

I nod lightly, his other hand taking my free one, "I wish it wasn't." It's merely below a whisper that I mention it, but I'm certain that it has managed to reach his ears.

"When will I see you next?" His voice comes out hopeful as his mouth curves into a timid smile. I had spent the previous week wondering if maybe Percy cared to see me as much as I longed to see him. Granted, I could have opted to go on a one-on-one with him, yet the Ethan situation made me question everyone's reasons for being here on the show.

I sigh, running our joined hands over my bangs to push them away from my face, "I'm not certain." It's been running through my head as to whether or not I want a group date this week, but after my odd ending with Xander, I truly don't want to face him again even if it is a group situation. I know that the guilt will simply ever fester if I see him.

His shoulders slump yet he nods nonetheless, "Oh, alright. No group date this week?" I shake my head, biting my lip from the guilt of having to put off seeing Percy vs. the guilt of seeing Xander if I chose a group date. "Oh… I guess I just don't luck out then this week." A timid smile splays across his lips, but I know that it's more out of sadness and disappointment than anything. I glance down at his light pink lips, wondering if they're as soft as they appear, wishing that they could kiss my guilt away.

"I'm sorry Percy," I say, genuinely sad that I can't bring myself to face Xander again this week thus not getting to see Percy.

His head bends down to rest his forehead against mine, "It's alright, really. But, I have a question…" The darker green flecks in his eyes become more apparent with his face closer to mine. I run my tongue over my lips and bite the bottom one, nodding my head. I push the thoughts of kissing him out of mind, though they only seem to be gone for a mere second. "Did you kiss Xander?" It's barely a whisper, filled with uncertainty and a small amount of hope.

I shake my head, smiling slightly as his face echoes in a smile. I'm not sure how it happened, but before I know it, my lips are pressing against Percy's in a soft kiss that makes me forget about Xander, about the cameramen around us, about any other thoughts besides continuing to feel his warm lips brushing against mine. A few tender kisses running against my lips spreading warmth outwards towards the tips of my toes causes me to rise onto my toes to even out our height difference. His arms shortly wrap around my waist as I tangle a hand into his hair and one around his neck. It could be minutes, hours, days before we both slowly pull back, and he presses one last kiss to my lips. I slowly open my grey eyes to see his misty green looking back at me. His lips press against my forehead as he murmurs, "Please don't kiss anyone else? I know that you're supposed to go on a date with all three of us, but if you could…" His voice trails off into uncertainty as I nod my head.

It's not long before I watch him retreat towards the guys' house and realize what I've just agreed to with him. I've agreed not to kiss any of the other guys, but more than that, I know that I've just agreed to only be with Percy emotionally. The guilt that I once felt for Xander is gone, but now there is the guilt that I feel, knowing if I continue on for the next two weeks, going on dates, I will be leading on two of the guys. And as Percy's figure wanders out of sight, I know that I can't do that.

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**AN: It's funny looking back on this as a story I wrote out in, eh, 2 days I think? Like, almost a month ago. Anyways, this is how my writer's block manifested itself. It's funny because my writing style for this sort of bugs me, a lot. (I was trying a couple of things out.)**

**Well, that was some nice progression I do think so. I like the next coming chapter better. You probably will too ;) Until the next time I post the chapter,**

**~Jam. xx**


	4. Loving

**AN: Thank you to **_**flyonfan14, Pug1998, luckyducky516,ButterflyFlyToMe, booklover484, epicsilverbullet (love your avatar by the way), Anon, Awesomel, Nerdybirdy, Namittheking **_**for taking the time to read and especially review. It truly means a lot to me. (Anon, your reply will be at the end).**

**Sorry for the long wait, guys.**

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**Chapter 4  
****Loving**

I wake up pressed against the warm side of the pillow, wishing that my blinds were able to more efficiently block out the sun. The long, bright rays have again awakened me early than I would have liked. Squinting my eyes, I lazily flop my hand over to my phone that's resting on the nightstand, bringing the illuminated screen to view the time: 8 AM; it's rather early. It feels as though I've barely even laid my head on the pillow before I was awoken by the pouring in of sunlight. Pressing up onto my elbows, I attempt to will the time to roll backwards so I can obtain just a few more minutes of shut eye. Rolling my neck, I swing my legs over the edge of the bed, the memories from the past week tumbling into my head: Percy. They're all of Percy and the times he snuck out to see me, the many secret kisses we stole under the moonlight, the many times I had to sadly kiss him goodbye. It has become almost a ritual where Percy sneaks out a certain time at night, and I make sure to be there when he comes. And then for however many hours, we spend them together, talking, hugging, kissing: embracing the minimal time that we have together during our secret nights.

The cold spreads up from my feet as they meet the smooth, wooden floor that's in my room. I'm still not used to the room in the Cupid's Amor's house since my actual room is padded with plush carpet. As I make my way to do my normal morning routine, I can't help but let my mind drift to other areas. My mind wanders back to that one, specific night before: when he whispered to me the words that I had always wished to hear, that I have waited to be spoken to me.

"_Do you believe in divorce?" I ask him randomly as we sit together with our toes dipped in the cool water of the pool. His strong arm, draped around my waist, keeps me warm as a light breeze could easily have chilled my bones._

_His eyes show confusion from the quick change in topic, but he regards it nonetheless with an uneasy expression, "My parents got divorced, so yes I do believe in it." Together his eyebrows scrunch as he makes the signature face of thought that I've come to love seeing, "However, I would only want a divorce with my wife if one of us decided to no longer work on it."_

_I search his sea green eyes for a deeper meaning that I can't seem to find, "What do you mean by that?" It makes me feel slightly slow by not knowing what he originally meant, but my curiosity causes me to ask him what the hidden meaning is._

_He shrugs, flicking water up with the movement of his foot, "What I mean is: I think that all relationships are about working it out. They all have problems, but you have to work them out. Sure, it might not come easy, but as long as we both decide to keep trying to work things out, then there's no point in breaking up. It's when one of us stops trying that I would then consider a divorce or a breakup." I smile into his shoulder as my Seaweed Brain shows that, while at times he can be slow, he is overall smart._

"_So, then why didn't it work out with your previous relationships?" I ask curiously, unsure as to why anyone would even want to give Percy up. I've already broken many of the rules for the show, __Cupid's Amor__, merely to spend as much time as I possibly can with him, much less _be_ with him._

_His face renders uncertainty, "I suppose they all just decided to stop trying to make it work. I'm not saying it's their fault, but that's what happened in the end." I press a reassuring kiss to his arm, wanting him to continue, wanting him to know that I'll still be here no matter what, "The first girl, Calypso, lived pretty far away. At the time, she was the prettiest girl I had ever seen. It surprised me that she even considered dating me, that she loved me, yet the problem came when she wanted me to give up everything for her. I promised her that I could and would still love her even across the country while at college, yet she protested that we could ever feel the same that way. She wanted me to give up my school, my friends, my family and never look back. I couldn't…" He trails off, moving his feet back and forth in the blue liquid cutting through the reflection of the stars and the moon. "Needless to say, it didn't work out. She said that if I went back to New York that day, then I would be giving her up." His breath escapes in a deep sigh as I squeeze his arm lightly, "I promised her that wouldn't be the case: that we could still work things out. I went back to New York because my break was over, and in a few days, a box came with every, single thing I had ever given Calypso. It was her way of ending things, and she didn't change her mind when I promised her that we could still work things out again over the phone."_

"_It was her loss," I say, causing a smile to spread across his face._

_He shrugs, "I guess you could say that, but I feel like it was my fault for leaving that day." His shoulders slump, the guilt that he has been feeling for years pouring out of him._

_I shake my head, "No, you still wanted to try to make things work, Percy. You can't blame yourself for her deciding that she wouldn't try to make the long distance work."_

_His head nods in agreement as he continues, "The other girl was Rachel. She had gotten what she considered her dream job, and I was happy for her. It meant that she would be traveling an awful lot, but I understood that it wasn't her choice. She said that she couldn't be tied down when traveling the world for her job. She told me that she always knew we could never work out but that I would lead her to finding her dream job. Apparently she needed me in order to stay and reside in New York, the place of foundation for the job that she yearned to have. There was nothing I could do, she said." He meets his saddened green eyes with my grey, giving a weak, understanding smile, "I know that I could never expect her to give up her job for me; I never wanted that to happen. I merely wanted for her to try to call at least once a week, to text when she could. It happens, and that's when the break up occurs."_

"_My job's really important to me," I mutter to Percy, hoping that I wouldn't do the same as Rachel did to him, leave him for my job. Sure, I've done something of the like that by picking my job over Luke, yet I could never imagine Percy forcing me to make that choice._

_He raises his eyebrows, "I understand. I get that sometimes you'll be stuck there doing work or out on the job miles away. It'll suck, but I don't expect a lot besides just trying. I can deal with going in at your lunch breaks even if it's only ten minutes or a couple of texts throughout the day. I get it if you come home late and skip dinner because of work." He chuckles, shaking his head, "I just want to know that you'll try to make things work, and we'll try to see each other when we can. Even if we just eat a banana together for breakfast before you leave for the day. It's better than nothing."_

_I bite my lip, attempting not to smile at the thought of Percy and me together for the long haul, "Really, if it's just two minutes to eat a banana and leave?"_

_He grins, nodding his head and bringing his lips closer to mine. They brush against mine as he says, "Yes, even just long enough to eat a banana together, as long as we're both trying to make things work." And as the last word is breathed across my lips, he brushes his lips against mine just as lightly as the spoken words. In that second, I know that no matter what the two of us could make things work._

"I can't do it," I say to Chris after that memory plays out in my head over and over throughout the morning. He has come to ask me which guy I'll be taking out on a date and what it's going to be.

His face contorts into confusion as he eyes my wearily, "What do you mean, Annabeth? You can't choose?"

I shake my head quickly, considering how best to say it, "I've already chosen; that's the problem." To distract myself, I run my hand over the smooth marble countertop wishing that I were talking to Percy right now instead of Chris.

The show's host nods his head, "Well, I guess this could possibly work out in our favor." He scratches his chin with his hand, "You're going to have to tell the guys, you know." I nod my head, sighing frustrated at the thought of having to deliver the blow to the two other guys. I wonder if Chris has known for the past week that I've gotten down to this point, that I have already made my choice. "It's Percy, isn't it?"

I open my mouth to speak, but for a second nothing comes out. Trying again, I muster, "Yeah, it is."

"You realize he could still pick the money over you?" His voice is concerned, knowing that I've started to deeply care for Percy throughout our short time spent together.

"I realize," I speak mutedly, hoping that I've been right about Percy all along.

Chris nods, regarding me worriedly, "Annabeth, I'm not going to try to change your mind, but I want you to know that Percy might choose the money over you. And if he does that, you won't get a chance at Xander or Will again or even Percy. I know that you don't want to even possibly consider that he'd do that to you, but you know the best chance for him to get the money is to get close to you. I'm not attempting to talk you out of your choice, but I am letting you know that this could hurt you in the end." His eyes show his sincere concern for me without any hidden meaning.

I push my lips from side to side, "I know, but I think it would only be worse for everyone if I waited another two weeks before I made my choice. It wouldn't change anything for me." More than anything, it would only make it harder for me to tell the guys that I choose Percy, for them to go back and watch the show for all that it has been. They would merely see that I had known since the second week yet prolonged it and strung them along. I don't want that, and I won't have that happen.

"Okay," Chris says, standing up, "I'll tell the guys that there's no date for the day. Look, I don't think it's best that Percy sees you tonight. I'm aware of the secret meetings and such. You need to think this over without seeing him and being influenced by that. This needs to be about you and only you. So, we'll talk to Percy aside and let him know that he can't continue to sneak out anymore. I realize that you may not want this, but this is what you need. Tomorrow, if you still want to make the choice, we'll go into the studio and shoot it. Alright?" I nod slightly, hoping that Percy won't take the called off meeting as being something that it isn't. Sadly, I know that Chris is right; I need to make this choice without Percy on my mind, but the thing that Chris doesn't know is that this affects both Percy and I. Because during that night with our feet plunged into the pool, we both decided that we would do what it took to make things work, and I have to do this to make things work.

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**AN: Yep, yup, sorry for the long wait, and I'm sorry that the chapter isn't all too long; it's just what happened, I suppose when writing it back in the summer. Anyways, I hope you guys liked it, and soon we shall find out: is Percy in it for the money or love. All I have to say is picking the money would make for a great storyline…but so would picking love. Guess I really didn't give anything away and restated the options, eh?**

**Anon – Thank you! Hm, yep this story is prewritten. However, I still have to reread each chapter over for editing purposes. That means sitting down and taking up to 15min, for a short chapter, to do that, then replying to the reviews, and thereafter I have to type out the author's notes, upload it, format it, and then publish it. All and all, that can take an hour or more, and being as busy as I have been as of late, I don't always have that hour to commit to doing it. So, that's why it took, now, over two months. Also, at the end of the summer, I was ridiculously busy, partially due to procrastinating, and the beginning of the year entailed adjusting to the amount of work I had this year. I hope that answers your question well enough, and I didn't take it to be rude, honestly. I hope you don't take this reply as being rude for I truly do not mean it to be. Anywho, hope you liked this chapter and thanks for taking the time to read and review- means a lot to me.**

**Until next time,**

**~ Jam. xx**


	5. Lining

**A/N: Well, it's really weird seeing this now (I have to edit it before posting); considering I wrote this back in August/July, experimenting during a writer's block my writing style certainly has change—for the better, I might add. (Seriously, this story is a far cry from my writing abilities.) Nonetheless, there's only one chapter after this.**

**Thank you to: ****_Awesomel, Pug1998, epicsilverbullet, Anon, luckyducky516, Annabeth 2.0_**

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**Chapter 5****  
Lining**

I look out past the shining lights of the stage into the empty seats of the audience. I wonder why this time I can't stop my shaking hands and racing heart, if it would be easier for me today with a vivacious audience instead of an empty one without life. There's no chance for me to take a second and think things over, to change my mind. As Chris speaks to the cameras, partially informing the guys as well as the audience, who will eventually watch this on the television; I know that it'll now dawn onto the guys that I have made my choice, that there will no longer be any dating me. I'm certain that Will knows it won't be him as I have yet to go on a date with him. Xander worries me, but maybe he too knows after the ending of our date. And then, there's Percy: the raven haired man who I'm now putting everything on the line for, putting my heart on the line. Today, he could easily snip the line that my heart balances on, deciding that he wants the chance for two-hundred fifty thousand dollars over me.

I sigh as Chris says, "Annabeth, I think it's best that you explain your thinking." He takes his seat now, to my left, our chairs tilted towards the guys since it's not necessary to be tilted towards an empty audience. "When you're ready," he says at last, nodding towards me and then looking at the rest of the guys.

"I never truly wanted to hurt any of you because I know what it feels like to be hurt. It came to the point where I thought over everything and knew that two more weeks would do nothing but hurt two of you guys," I take a shaky breath as my eyes roam over the understanding expression of Will, the hopeful one of Xander, and the relaxed green eyes of the man whom I hope will choose me over the money resting in the briefcase in his lap. It's clutched loosely in his hands around the silver sides, almost staring me down it feels.

I look to Chris, hoping that he'll take over for me. After our extended talk this morning, he knows exactly where I stand, "Guys, Annabeth knows which one of you she will choose in the end. She didn't want to extend it just to lead two of you on. So now, the only part left is for her to choose, and then, the lucky guy that she chooses will have the option to be with her or to pick the money." His gaze comes to rest on me as he extends his palms outwards towards to guys. I know exactly what it means: it means that I will soon have to choose between each of these guys. "But before she makes the choice," Chris says lifting a finger, the universal sign of 'hold on,' "let's take a look back at Annabeth's time on Cupid's Amor, as well as some never before seen footage."

I brace myself for the footage that will show my secret times with Percy. I'm certain that neither Will nor Xander were aware of those moments that Percy and I spent together. Gripping the arms on my chair, I watch with nervousness as the scenes pass by: the guys arrival to the home, an argument between Ethan and Percy that I never saw before, a funny scene of Will shooting an apple off Xander's head with an arrow, the original pool date, Percy walking me back to my house, my date with Xander where I taught him to putt, then followed by that is Will and Xander questioning Percy's whereabouts as footage is shown of us kissing under the cover of darkness. It's not long before other random bits of footage pass over the screen till it gets to the talk Chris and I had this morning before the lights turn on, and I am met with the faces of Will, Xander, and Percy.

"Annabeth," Chris begins, shifting his head towards me, "I think it would be best if you address all the guys first before you make your choice." Inwardly, I cringe at the comment of making my choice because I don't need any time to make it or think it over.

Sighing, I turn to Will first, meeting his bright blue eyes that are filled with understanding, "Will, you're really a great guy, and you're extremely good at archery. I'm sorry that we didn't get to spend as much time together, getting to know each other, however I hope you know that I think extremely highly of you."

He nods, looking extremely relaxed in his chair, "I understand, Annabeth. I'm just happy that things may work out for you in the end. Friends?" His voice asks uncertainly, regarding me with his quizzical blue eyes.

"I really think that could work," I smile slightly, hoping that Will really could become one of my friends. While I know that it may be awkward at first, I'm certain that he could truly be a great friend to me and maybe even Percy. Well, that is if Percy chooses to be with me over the money… I break that train of thought and focus my eyes on Xander.

His hair is neatly swept to the side, still causing him to have that baby face. I stand by what I said earlier: he's a genetic gift, but he's not meant for me. For sure, there are girls out there who will fall at Xander's feet, but I just hope that he'll allow himself to look for the future. So when I meet his hazel eyes that show flickers of hope still, the guilt begins to build inside me at what I know I'm supposed to do. It's a condition of wanting to choose this early, "Xander, we really had a great time on our date." I smile genuinely, remembering the high points of that date, "You are truly a great guy, and I know that we get along exceptionally well. It really did worry me that you would cut me off before we could have that forever moment. Though, I'm certain that it really could be in the future," I bite my lip, knowing that this speech could very well be leading him on; Chris said that the editing team didn't reveal who it was that I would pick in the previous episode. So, I'm supposed to make it appear that I'm ultimately choosing between Percy and Xander. I sigh, "Xander, I wish that the date didn't end on the note that it did because I just wanted for you to know that there could really be a forever, but you just needed not to close yourself to it." I break my gaze away from him to my hands.

"Annabeth, I want you to know that there could be that forever between us. I can see it when I think about the both of us," and I blink the tears away from my eyes that spring up from his words. They're tears of guilt and sadness that I have allowed him to believe that I very well might pick him, "You were right before. I did what I did for fear that I might be rejected. I really care about you, and I hope that you feel the same way about me. I made a fool of myself playing mini golf," he chuckles, the delight apparent in his eyes. "No matter what, you should know that I care about, and I want you to make the best choice that you could possibly make. I want you to know that I'm not a player or anything like that. Even though some things may have come off as that, it's not the case for me. I want you to be happy in the end, and I hope that you decide that you can be happy with me."

"Ditto," Percy says, but I'm still glued to the hazel eyes of Xander who has relayed his feelings to me. I'm unsure of what the future could hold between Xander and me, but I know that this could be my only chance to find out. It's nerves and guilt that fill me whole now as I see the true care that Xander has for me in his eyes.

Taking a deep breath, I meet the sea green eyes that quickly calm me down, "Percy, Percy, Percy. You were the one that went after me when Ethan said all of that stuff. And no matter what happens in the end, I will always be thankful for you because of that. No matter what my choice is, I want you to know that I will still remember you for being the one to make sure that I was okay." Inwardly, I roll my eyes at how my speech is skewed to make it seem like I won't pick Percy. Sighing, I continue, "We've had some fun times, and I'm sorry that we never got to go on that date to get to know each other better. I guess I can only explain it as not being in our fate. Just like with Will, I don't think that going on a date with either of you or hanging out more would have changed my mind." And now, I address them all, "I hope that none of you wonder what you could have done to make me change my mind because I don't think there was anything. I want you to understand that you're all great guys. Will… Xander… Percy… I'm sorry that I've dragged this on for so long because I can't make my choice today…" As I trail off, I see the look of confusion pass over their faces, and Chris raises his eyebrows, "I made it days before today."

I sigh, turning to Chris for his last line, "Annabeth, gentleman, it's time for us to all know the choice." His voice resonates through the studio seeming to bounce off the walls and bombard into my head over and over. It's time for me to choose, and I can't go back and change it when I do.

"Percy," I mutter loud enough for them all to hear as the microphone catches my words. I break my gaze down to my hands so as to not see the looks that cross over Xander's face specifically.

"Alright," Chris says, standing up, "Xander, Will, I'm sorry that you were not chosen. Percy, this is up to you now. Inside your briefcase, there may be two hundred fifty thousand dollars or maybe even a dollar. If you choose the money, you will get to keep whatever is in the briefcase and lose Annabeth. But if you pick Annabeth, you will not get to know the amount of money that you're giving up. It's up to you." I allow my eyes to meet his grey as his expression looks rather amused.

He shrugs, "Annabeth… I think Cupid's Amor really been a great experience." His eyes roll, making it obvious that he was scripted to say that part, "I want you to know that no matter what I pick, it was all my own doing. So, I choose…"

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**A/N: There's one last chapter; overall, I can't say that I'm entirely happy with this story, but I will continue to attribute that to being a writer's block story. Nevertheless, I'll post it until the end, but as a forewarning, I may decide to delete it shortly after having it all up.**

**Well, I hope you enjoyed the chapter (sorry for having it up so late) and don't mind the slight cliffhanger. Le shrug.**

**Until next time,**

**~ Jam. Xx**

**_Anonymous Review Replies_**

**_Anon: Hah, as am I, and aw, thank you so much. Hm, well, this chapter is the second to last. So, in other words, one more chapter since it's a short story. Hah, overall, a really short story especially for my standards. Anywho, thanks for taking the time to read and review. It means a lot to me._**


	6. Arrival

**A/N: This is the last chapter, but I might do an epilogue to the story… From Percy's POV. If I do decide to do it, that'll be the one thing that isn't prewritten. Therefore, my writing style will drastically change since I decided to write this story, back in the summer, differently. Sorry for the sporadic update times, but I hope you enjoy this last chapter, with or without an epilogue.**

**Thank you to: ****_Marichinocherry OtakusRule, AtlantaJackson95, Copper Phoenix, RueRajaram, kim3375, Awesomel, WisestOwl, epicsilverbullet, KayCee, Rose-loves-Dimitri, Pug1998, yaksrock615, Slender, Guest, Guest, annabeth2.0, Athena grl huntress, ChildOfSea, Owlyone._**

**Last but not least, I have a collab one show with Maydayparade8123, on the account A Parade of Stars, called _Parallel Lines Cross at Infinity_. It's percabeth.**

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**Chapter 6**

**Arrival**

I breathe out a sigh of relief as I exit off the plane back to my hometown. There's no part of me that's sad that I will no longer have to breathe in the stale, recycled air in the plane. It's been seven months since Cupid's Amor aired, and the sadness continues to wash over me as I think about it. Additionally, the paparazzi continue to find following me around and snapping pictures a great joy. Don't ask me why.

So as I walk into the air condition filled airport, it's no surprise that I'm ambushed by flashing lights and yells of "Annabeth! Look over here!" "How are you?" "Where'd you go?"

I ignore the many flashes and shoot them a quick smile, noticing that the number of people taking pictures seems to be decreasing. I'm certain that soon I'll be able to merely be Annabeth Chase again before the show and everything. Though, there are some things that will never go back to how they were before the show…

At the sight of the tall man, I pick up my pace to meet him. Quickly, I drop my bags and wrap my arms around the blonde haired man who I haven't seen in a couple of weeks. He hugs me back firmly before releasing me, "Annabeth, I've brought someone along…"

I regard him with a suspicious expression as he steps aside to reveal a dark haired man reading a newspaper. A smile automatically spreads across my face as the newspaper drops just enough to reveal the sea green eyes that I've come to love and have missed seeing these past couple of weeks. "Seaweed Brain," I mutter disbelievingly, moving towards him as he comes to stand. "What are you doing here?" I ask, still quite a few steps away from him.

He folds up the newspaper, not breaking his eyes away from me, "I decided to surprise you. So, I asked Will if I could tag along with him to pick you up at the airport. He was cool with it." He shrugs nonchalantly as if it isn't a big deal that he's standing in front of me now. I wrap my arms around his neck, his around my waist, as we come together for a tender embrace, "My trip was actually cut short by twelve days, so here I am."

"I've missed you," I whisper into the crook of his neck, not registering the many flashes of cameras that document our coming home embrace.

"I've missed you too, Wise Girl," he says next to my ear, kissing my neck lightly. He pulls back, looking into my grey eyes that I'm certain are lit with happiness.

"I love you, Annabeth" are the last words that I hear before Percy's lips descend onto mine.

I don't need to say it because he knows I love him too.

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**Hm, maybe an epilogue? Until next time, if there is one,  
~Jam xx**

**Anonymous Review Replies**

**_KayCee – Hahah, I didn't think the cliffe was too bad. Apparently, I'm the minority, maybe even a party of one. Hah, thank you and sorry about the update time._**

**_Slender – Nah, I'm too much of a rules person to go that route. If Percy picks(ed) the money, I will (would) not have him pick Annabeth at the end as well. Sorry about the update time._**

**_Guest (gods) – Hahah, I really didn't think it was that bad. Aw, wow, I'm sorry. Hope this wasn't too long of a wait._**

**_Guest (seriously) – Well, my life outside of writing fanfic certainly comes first. I've been busy, so "come on!seriously" understand that I do plan to finish this story. I just have to do it on my time. And also, information regarding Chase's Pain is on my profile._**


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